Expansion envelope



J. G. SWAB EXPANSION ENVELOPE Jan. 30, IMO,

Filed Sept. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR J; G-fiwa,

ATTORB'IEY Jan. 30, 1940. J. cs. SWAB 2,188,730

EXPANSION ENVELOPE Filed Sept. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR $7M ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1940 I EXPANSION ENVELOPE Jay G. Swab, Freepcrt, N. Y., assignor to Tension Envelope Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporatien' of New' York "Application Septemberl l, 1938, Serial No. 229.886

13' Claims.

This invention relates to envelopes, particularly to those of the expansion type, andhas for its principal object to provide an envelopestructure of this character capable of machine manu- "facture.

" Other objects of the invention arevtoprovide an expansion envelope of simplified construction andadapted to be manufactured at low cost.

It is also an object .of the invention to provide an expansion envelope formed of a single piece and having its end gussets reinforced with flexible connecting members. I

A further object of the invention is to provide an expansion envelope of strong construction, of long wearing qualities and better capable of securely retaining important enclosures such as court records, documents, and the like.

In accomplishing these and other objects of 6 the'invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I'have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein; f I h Fig. 1 .is a'perspective View of anexpansion envelope constructed in accordance with the present invention. I I

Fig. "2 is a fragmentary perspective View of a portion of the envelope, a part of the front wall being. broken away to better illustrate the inner side of the gusset.

which the envelope is formed.

Fig, 4 is a similar viewfof the blank partly I folded.- i

5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end-of the envelope showing'the exterior side of the; end gusset prior to the application of the connecting strip. y a

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of an expansion envelope showing a modified formof construction.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view 'of'the envelope illustrated in Fig. 6, a part of the front Wall being. broken away to illustrate the inner faces of the gussets, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the blank forming the envelope illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig.- 9 is a perspective view ofthe :blank partly folded. I I

Fig. 10 is an end view of the envelope prior to application of the connecting strip to the end gusset. I I

Referring more in detail to the drawings: 1 designates an expansion envelope construct ed in accordance with the present invention and formed. from a blank 2., The blank 2 is died Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the blank from ing outwardly from the ends of the front and back portions 8 and 9 are side flaps l3 i4- and l5l6 having the same length as the depth of the front and back portions. and widths corresponding to the spacing between the score. lines l 5 and 56 to form the side gussets of the envelope when the blank is folded as later described. I

Also extending. outwardly from the bottom gusset aresubstantiallytriangular shaped flaps H and l8 adapted to overlie the inner faces of the end flaps l3i5 and l4l6 respectively. The apical portions of the flaps Hand 18 termis nate in tongues ill and Eli that are received within notches 2! formed in the adjacent outer cor ners of the respective side flaps when the blank is folded. The corners 22 of the notchesare out off, as at 23, to provide greater sealing contact of the side flaps with the connecting member 30 later described. The depths of thenotches are such that when the blank is folded, the sides thereof closely engage the-end edges 25 of the tabs and the sides 26 closely engage the side 25 edges of the tabs as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The score line 5 continues across the flaps ll and I8 including the tabs iii and Ml; and the side flaps are separated from the front and back portions by score lines 2? and 28 continuing across the triangular shaped flaps H and 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The gusset portion III also has score lines 25 and til converging inwardly from the juncture points of'the score lines #1 and 5 with the score lines 28 and 2'! to intersect at common converging points 3! with the transverse score 5, as shown in Fig. 3. v In folding the blank, the side flaps i3-Hi and iii-66 including the triangular shaped flaps I l and i8, are bent on" the scores 21 and 23 so that v theylie at right-angles to the body portion of the envelope, and the frontand back portions are similarly folded on thescores i and 6 so that the notch-ed ends of the side flaps overlie the outer faces of the triangular shaped-flapsand the edges 24 and zt-formed by the respective notches cooperate to receive the tabs l9 and 20, as shown in Fig. 2. When thus folded the tabs l9 and are adapted to lie within the planes of the side flaps so that the outer faces 32 are flush with the outer faces 33 and of the side flaps as shown in Fig. 5, with the edges of the end flaps in abutting. relation, as at 35, and registering with the central score5 of the bottom gusset. Strips of flexible material 36 and 31 are then applied to the faces 33 and 34 of the flaps by means of a suitable adhesive which also connects the tabs I9 and 29 and the portions of the triangular flaps i1 and I8 that are exposed through the notches 2|. The strips substantial- 1y correspond in width to the maximum width of thegussets but are of longer length so that the upper projecting ends thereof may be folded over the upper edges of the end flaps and sealed to the inner faces thereof as shown at 38 in Fig. 2. The projecting bottom ends are folded inwardly and sealed against the outer face of the bottom gusset to reinforce the folds of the triangular shaped flaps at the ends of the gusset as shown at 39 in Fig. 1.

To collapse the envelope the side gussets are broken inwardly with the portions of the flexible strips bridging the abutting edges of the side flaps forming'hinges cooperating with the end of the score 5 that extends across the flaps Ii and 18. At the same time the bottom is broken width and expandibility be required.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10inclusive includes a blank 40 provided withtransverse parallel scores ii-42 and t3 i=i to form the front and back portions 4538 and the bottom gussets i! and a closure flap 4Q. Ex-

tending outwardly from the ends of I the front and back portions are side flaps 4Q5i3 and 5l 52 coextensive with the depth of the front and back portion and. terminating adjacent the score lines 4| and 43 are substantially triangular shaped extensions of the tabs 53 and 54, which,

when the end flaps are folded on scores 55 and 56 and on the scores and 43, are adapted to underlie the outer face of the bottom vgusset. The scores 4! and 33 extend completely across the side flaps sothat the tabs 53 and 54 may be readily turned under the ends of the bottom gusset. The bottom gusset also has angular scoresor folds 51 and 58 converging inwardly from the juncture points of the scores 55 and 56 with thelscores 4i and 43 corresponding to the scores 29 and 30 referred to in the preferred form of the invention. The blank 48 is-folded so that the side flaps are turned inwardly with the outer edges 59 and 60 located in abutting relation, as shown in Fig. 10, when the front and back portions are folded on the score lines 4! and 42. The triangular shaped tabs 53 and 54 are then folded inwardly to underlie the ends of the bottom gusset as shown in Fig. 9. When thus folded flexible strips 6| and 62 are glued or otherwise attached to the outer faces of the side flaps as shown in Fig. 6. The strips may be of suflicient length so that the upper ends project over the top edges of the side flaps so 2,188,730 H V, v

that they may be bent inwardly to seal against the inner faces thereof for reinforcement of the upper edges.

and 54 and against the bottom gusset as shown gusset folds the folds arereinforced by the flexible strip. 3 i

'The flaps of the envelopes as shown in Figs;

The lower ends of the strips are: bent inwardly to seal over the folded tabs 53:

1 and 6 may be provided with suitable ties,,63

that are stapled thereto, as at 54, andadapted to be extended'around the envelope and tied together to retain the closure flaps in covering'relation with theopen mouths of the pockets.

From the foregoing it is obvious, that I have. provided expansion envelopes which are of simple construction and which are readily fabricated without the use of forms and other molds usually required in producing the gusset folds. It is also obvious that the flexible strips not' only secure the side flaps toform an envelope pocket,

but theyreinforce the hinging points of the gus set folds to provide an envelope having long.

wearing qualities.

What 1 claim and desire to secure by Letter s I Patent is:

1. An envelope of the character described in- 7 eluding front and back portions connected bya bottom gusset, side flaps on the front and back portions, and flexible strips sealingly connecting the side flaps to form side gussets.

2. An envelopeof the character described, in cluding front and back portions connectedby 'an' integral bottom gussetside flaps on the front and back portions, and flexible strips sealingly connecting the side flaps to form side gussetsflg, v

3. An envelope of the character described, in?

eluding front and back portions connected bya bottom gusset, side flaps'on the front and back .j

portions, and flexible strips sealingly connecting the side flaps to form side gussets, said strips beingfoldingly sealed over the ends of the" bottom gusset.

4. An envelope of the character describedyint-ly eluding front and back portions connectefd'fibyj a bottom gusset, side flaps on the front andfjbaok portions, flexible strips sealingly connecting the V sideflaps to form sidegussets said strips being v foldingly sealed over the upper ends ofthe'side' flapsto reinforce the upper edgesof the side gus'sets. a

5.-An envelope of the character describe.

. n l: eluding front and back portions connectedfqby-a' bottom gusset, side flaps on the front and ba'ck portions, and flexible strips sealed to said side flaps to form side gussets and having ends respectively sealed to the ends of the bottom gusset gussets.

6.'An' envelope of the character described inu eluding front and back portions connected by a, 3

bottom gusset, side flaps on the front and bachuw portions, extension flaps on the-ends of the bottom gusset, and engage able with the side flaps",

and flexible strips sealed to the side flaps and engaging the extension flaps to form side gussetsl to l 7. An envelope of the character described including front and back portions connecte'dby a I I bottom gusset and having side POI'tlOHSflQJld means cooperating'with', said side portions to portions including flexible strips coextensive with and folded over the upper inner face of the side I 9 said side portions and having fixed connection therewith.

8. An envelope of the character described including front and back portions connected by an integral bottom gusset, side flaps on the front and back portions, extension flaps on the ends of the bottom gusset and engageable With the side flaps, and flexible strips sealed to the side flaps and engaging the extension flaps to form side gussets.

9. An envelope of the character described including front and back portions connected by an integral bottom gusset and having strip-attaching side portions, and means cooperating with said side portions to form side gussets connecting the front and back portions including flexible strips coextensive with said side portions and having fixed connection therewith, the ends of said, strips being respectively extended over upper edges of said side portions and fixed to end portions of said bottom gusset.

10. An expansion envelope including front an back portions connected by a bottom gusset, substantially triangular shaped flap extensions at the ends of the bottom gusset and terminating at the apices in tabs, side flaps on the ends of the front and back portions and having notches to accommodate said tabs, and flexible strips sealed to said side flaps and having sealing engagement with said tabs to form side gussets,

11. An expansion envelope including front and back portions connected by a bottom gusset, substantially triangular shaped flap extensions at the ends of the bottom gusset and terminating at the apices in tabs, side flaps on the ends of the front and back portions and having notches to accommodate said tabs, and flexible strips sealed to said side flaps and having sealing engagement with said tabs to form side gussets, said flexible strips forming the central fold of the side gussets.

12. An expansion envelope including front and back portions connected by a bottom gusset, side flaps on the ends of the front and back portions, substantially triangular shaped .fiap extensions at the ends of the side flaps and engageable with the ends of the bottom gusset, and flexible strips sealed to said flaps and having sealing engagement with said flaps to form side gussets, said flexible strips forming central folds of *the sidegussets.

13. An envelope of the character described 

